


Star Wars: The Rise of Hope

by springhorton



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Redemption, Romance, Trans Female Character, thrilling heroics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21974032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/springhorton/pseuds/springhorton
Summary: After the Resistance is nearly wiped out on Crait, it seems there is little hope left in the galaxy. Though, they don't know it yet, the Rebels will turn out to be more powerful than they have ever been. Equipped with a secret weapon the First Order could never understand, Hope will rise again.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn, Rose Tico/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	1. The End of the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This story is evolving as I write it, which means tags and plots may change. It draws from the Prequels, Original Series, Sequels and Expanded Universe, but may drift to my own, original ideas as well.

The cold vacuum of space passed by the Millennium Falcon’s windows as the YT-1300f light freighter soared further away from Crait. It had been hours since they’d made their escape from the mining planet and its salt covered surface, and there had been no sign of the First Order following. Nevertheless, the small band of rebel fighters who now occupied the ship had fallen into quiet introspection. They’d escaped with their lives, but it was entirely possible that they were all that was left of the Resistance. Their ships were destroyed, their allies had abandoned them, and they had no idea where to go. It seemed as if there was little hope left. 

Poe Dameron watched as Finn stepped out of the room, going through the hatch that would lead him to the sickbay. They’d been through so much in the short time that they’d known each other, and he realized with a start that they’d barely had time to get to know one another. The thought tugged at him, feeling strange in the back of his mind. Combining that with the fact that he had seemingly lost everything he’d fought for, everything his parents had fought for, made his jaw clamp shut. He got up and began to pace the small space the survivors occupied, until he heard a sigh and turned angrily. He glanced down, about to argue with whoever had interrupted his sulking, when he realized it was General Leia Organa. 

Poe’s features softened at her exasperated look. She shook her head and patted the spot next to her. He wasn’t up for being scolded yet again, but the teasing sass in her eyes was impossible to resist. He returned her sigh and then sat down next to her. 

“If you’re going to tell me...” he started but stopped when she held up a hand. 

“I know things look hopeless,” she said. “But as long as there’s a resistance, there’s still hope.” 

“What resistance?” Poe whispered and glanced around at their ragtag band. “This ship is all there is.” 

“There have been plenty of times when this ship made all the difference.” 

“Are you telling me you’ve been in worse situations than this?” Poe asked in disbelief. 

Leia smiled mischievously. “Maybe not. You need to trust in the force, though, Poe. I believe in these people. I believe in you. You should too.” 

Poe frowned slightly, not entirely sure what she meant. He knew that the men and women on the ship were good people, brave and willing to give everything they had to make a better life for everyone in the galaxy. He’d never doubted that. After a moment, he simply nodded and briefly laid a hand down on her arm. Then, he got back up, but instead of returning to his pacing, he found himself drifting toward the mysterious Rey. He’d certainly heard enough about the young woman from Finn, but it hadn’t prepared him for what he’d seen her do back on Crait. 

Rey was sitting by herself, glancing at what looked like an ancient book, a small, furry looking creature on her shoulder. Poe inched closer, not wanting to disturb her, until the small creature turned and made a gurgling sound at him. It seemed slightly threatening, and Poe glanced behind him quickly, expecting to see some kind of attacker. There was no one there, though, but when he turned back, he was startled to see Rey staring at him in amusement. 

“What is that?” he asked. 

“A porg. They inhabited the island where I found...” She paused and then looked away. “That’s what Luke called them anyway.” 

Poe smiled and sat down across from her. “Stowaways then?” he chuckled and reached out for the small bird. “I can get behind that.” Before he could pet the porg, though, it nipped at him with sharp incisors. 

“Ow,” Poe exclaimed and pulled his hands away, but Rey only laughed and shook her head. 

“I don’t think it likes you,” she teased. 

“Well, I don’t think I like it either.” He frowned, his face taking on the look of a pouting little boy, which only made Rey laugh more. Despite his sullen mood, he couldn’t help but relax and laugh a little too. He glanced back toward Leia, who side-eyed him like she’d known exactly what would happen. 

After a moment, Rey’s smile faltered, and as Poe looked back, she said, “Finn’s gone to the sickbay, hasn’t he?” 

Poe nodded. “I imagine so.” 

“The woman you brought on board looked badly injured. Who is she?” 

“Her name’s Rose. I don’t know her very well, but she saved Finn’s life.” Poe swallowed the lump in his throat, hoping that Rey didn’t see the look of regret in his eyes. 

The Millennium Falcon’s sickbay wasn’t exactly standard starship issue. In fact, it was less a sickbay and more a cubbyhole with one bed, a few drawers of supplies and a medical device or two. Rose Tico currently occupied the one bed, recessed into the Falcon’s wall, and lined with soft, impact resistant material. She was covered with a thermal blanket, and though her vitals were stable at the moment, she was still unconscious. Standing over her, a look of worry on his face, was Finn. He heard the door behind him open, but he didn’t turn. It was only when he felt a hand on his shoulder that he turned, slightly startled by the familiarity. His features softened, though, at the sight of Poe Dameron, looking just as grim as he had. He glanced to the other side of him to see Rey, a more curious look on her face. 

“Rey, this is Rose, Rose, Rey. You’ll like her,” he added as if the small form might wake up and say hello. 

“Will she be alright?” Rey asked, moving a little closer. 

“It’s touch and go, especially without a real doctor. The Resistance only has a couple of medics left.” 

“Guess you should start training up, buddy,” Poe said lightly, attempting to cut through the tension with a little humor. To his surprise, Finn’s head snapped in his direction. Poe lifted the hand from his shoulder and held it up like a peace offering. “I didn’t mean anything by it.” 

“No,” Finn said, shaking his head. “I mean, it’s a good idea...right?” 

Poe’s eyebrows crept up. “Yeah...I could see you as a medic. Right?” He leaned around Finn’s shoulder to look at Rey. “It is a good idea, don’t you think?” 

Rey smiled and nodded. “You really should,” she said to Finn, who finally looked a bit more optimistic. In fact, his demeanor was so improved she and Poe were surprised he didn’t dive into the medical files of the Millennium Falcon right there and then. 

After a moment, he turned back to Rey and Rose, though, fielding his friend’s questions about the mechanic who’d helped save the Resistance. 

Poe slowly backed away, starting to feel like the fourth wheel of the Resistance. It had been a very long, strange day, and he still wasn’t sure what to make of it. He thought back to all the lives that had been lost, and things that he probably should have done differently. As he started to walk out the door, his heart skipped a beat as Finn turned to look at him. He put on a brave smiled at the man’s confused look. 

“Just gonna go check and see what the plan is,” he said, gesturing at the door behind him. 

“Yeah, where are we headed anyway?” Finn asked. 

Poe shook his head. “I have no idea.” With that, he turned to leave. It was a legitimate question, so he thought he might as well figure out the answer. As he walked back into the small galley where the rebels were congregating, he was surprised to see that the mood was considerably more optimistic than it was when he’d left. 

“What is it?” he hissed as he slid into the seat next to Leia. “What’s happened?” 

“We’ve found a safe haven,” she said with a small smile. When Poe’s eyes lit up and looked like he was going to launch into one of his excited tirades, she held up her hand. “It’s a temporary home.” 

“But that’s still a good thing, right?” When she nodded, he asked, “So, where are we going?” 

It was Chewbacca that answered, first, with a proud sounding roar. Poe frowned and shook his head at Leia. 

“Kashyyyk.”


	2. Chapter 2

The majesty of Kashyyyk’s forests wasn’t quite the same as it had been in ancient times, but the work that had been done to rid the planet of the destruction the Empire had caused was paying off. Since the days of Han Solo and Chewbacca’s exploits to free the Wookiee people, the planet had begun to heal. And though the population wasn’t what it had been, it was starting to recover as well. Giant wroshyr trees, many nearly a thousand feet tall, were once again growing in abundance, along with dozens of other species. The forest floor was almost impossible to see in some places, just as it had been when Chewbacca’s ancestors lived high in the trees and never ventured down to see it. 

As the Millennium Falcon came down out of orbit, it was joined by two of Kashyyyk’s famous flying catamarans, and the ships led the small band of rebels to a landing pad high up in the top of the forest canopy. Rey leaned into a window, staring out in awe, and she wasn’t the only one. Very few of them had ever seen quite so many trees, and none so big as the ones on the Wookiee home world. Just as impressive, especially to the young pilots were the catamarans that floated gracefully next to them. A Wookiee in protective goggles, with dark brown hair streaked in blonde, waved them toward the landing pad, and then got down from his catamaran to greet them. He was tall, even by Wookiee standards, and howled warmly as he spotted Chewbacca. The two of them embraced, and then Chewbacca introduced his brother, Tvreerk. 

“Your brother?” Rey exclaimed. 

Finn and Poe glanced at one another and then at Rey. “His brother?” they said in unison. 

Leia smiled and pushed passed them all. “Hello Tvreerk,” she said. “Han always spoke warmly of you.” 

Tvreerk barked out a laugh that gave them all the distinct impression that he didn’t believe her. Then he pulled her into the same furry embrace she was used to getting from Chewbacca. 

As Tvreerk led Leia, Finn, and the rest of what was left of the Resistance down into the Wookiee home city, Poe stayed back with Rey and Chewbacca as mechanics came out to look over the Falcon. Considering she was the only ship left in their fleet, Poe figured he’d soon be doing a lot of flying her. He looked her over as Chewie argued with the mechanics, running a hand along her undercarriage to feel for anything loose. She was an old ship but fast and maneuverable. Poe liked her already. As he slowly moved along, he became aware of someone watching him. He turned and casually stepped out from under the ship. Rey was standing under the cockpit, her arms crossed, staring at him curiously. 

“You aren’t with the others,” she pointed out. 

“Neither are you,” he countered. 

“I’m the pilot of the Falcon.” 

“Yeah, but...” Poe’s protest drifted away at the look on Rey’s face. He’d been going to point out that he was a senior squadron leader in the Resistance, the only one they had left, but somehow, he didn’t think it was going to change anything. Instead, he simply said, “I’m a pilot too.” 

“I know,” she said with a nod and slight smile. After a moment, she added, “Look, I think they’re going to be arguing for ages and Chewie is the best person to be figuring out repairs anyway. I don’t know about you, but I’m really curious to see this tree city.” She nodded toward the path the others had taken. 

Poe nodded too. “I’ll be there in a minute. I just want to look at a few more things.” 

“Suit yourself,” Rey said, and then took off to catch up with the rest of the group. 

Leia Organa watched as her people followed Tvreerk and a small band of Wookiee down a long, winding staircase, into the heart of their forest home. It was much more sophisticated than the Ewok tree city she’d visited with Luke and Han all those years ago, with multiple layers of large structures built around the trees themselves. As she thought back to Endor, she felt a small spark of sadness for all that she’d lost since. She stopped, letting the rest of the small group pass her by, and she looked out across the trees. Though it was still daylight, the canopy above them blocked much of the light, giving the city a dim, dusky look. As she stared out, calming her thoughts, she caught a glimpse of a figure, standing on one of the footpaths that circled a distant tree. The figure was much too small to be a Wookiee, and she realized with a start that it was glowing. 

For a moment, the figure simply stood and stared back at her. Leia felt goosebumps on her arms, and an overwhelming sense of familiarity and Force. She’d rarely ever seen his ghost and she had no idea why he’d be appearing to her now, on Kashyyyk. For a moment, time seemed to stop, and she lost the ability to speak, then as she opened her mouth to say something to him, he smiled and disappeared behind the tree. 

“Who was that?” Rey said, hurrying down the steps toward her. 

Leia shook her head, pulled from her reverie, and turned to see the young woman looking flushed and excited. It occurred to Leia that Rey had probably never seen a Force ghost. 

Quietly, she answered, “My father.” 

“Darth Vader?” Rey said in awe and confusion. 

Leia gritted her teeth and then sighed. “Anakin Skywalker.” 

“Yes, of course. I’m sorry, I-” 

Leia waved it away. “You’re not wrong. He was both.” 

“But, he’s...gone.” 

Leia smiled. “You still have a lot to learn about the Force.” 

The two of them continued on in silent contemplation until they reached a hut much larger than the rest. It sat at the center of the Wookiee city and surrounded the largest tree there. It was a simple, yet magnificent structure, with multiple stories, and a deck that overlooked everything beyond. Leia and Rey found Finn there, standing at the edge of the deck. Beyond the large tree, the forest canopy cleared, revealing a forest of smaller trees, a wide river, and mountains in the distance. 

“This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen,” he remarked as the two stepped up to either side of him. 

Rey nodded vigorously in agreement and Leia simply smiled mischievously. “It’s wonderful,” the younger woman breathed. 

After a moment, Finn turned to her, and then to the other side. In confusion, he said, “Where’s Poe?” 

When Poe was satisfied with the knowledge he’d gained of the Millennium Falcon, he left the ship in the capable hands of Chewbacca and the mechanics. By then, the sun was starting to dip towards the horizon, but the only reason he knew it was because lights were coming on and fires being lit in the city below. He was tired and hungry, and the hope of some kind of feast propelled him to join his friends. Unfortunately, the city’s stairways and wooden bridges were a labyrinth, all of them seeming to lead everywhere and nowhere. He was sure he’d started out the same way the others had, but soon he found himself on a path that led through the trees instead of down into the heart of the city. 

He could see the path he was meant to be on, but wasn’t sure how he was supposed to get to it. Finally, he sighed. There was nothing for it, he was simply going to have to back track until he found a crossover. As he turned and started to walk back, though, something stopped him in his tracks. There was nothing there, only a feeling he’d had. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and his heart beat faster. He had no explanation for it, but he knew something had happened, like sensing the echo of something that had come before. He shook his head, but the feeling persisted. He glanced around, somehow knowing there was nothing to see, but he couldn’t help himself. 

“Poe!” he heard a voice yell, and he flinched so heard, he started to reach for his blaster.


	3. Chapter 3

Finn stopped short, noticing his friend’s demeanor. “It’s just me,” he said, trying to make a joke of it, but it didn’t really go over as planned. Poe still looked entirely too serious. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, sorry. I just...” 

“What?” 

“Never mind,” Poe said, shaking his head. “I seem to have gotten lost, somehow.” 

A slow smile crossed Finn’s face. “I noticed that. Come on, I’ll lead you down.” With that, Finn turned and headed back down the path. “Chewbacca’s family is fixing a big feast for all of us.” 

Poe’s stomach rumbled and he grinned as he rubbed it. “What is it?” 

“I have no idea,” Finn admitted. “I’m not sure I want to know. I just hope it tastes good; I’m starving.” 

“Me too.” He followed Finn down into the heart of the forest, a small frown of realization crossing his face. “How’s Rose?” he said quietly. 

Finn’s smile faltered. “The Wookiee’s are taking good care of her. They took her to their medical hut. It’s a lot more sophisticated than it looks, the whole city is.” 

“Yeah, I got that impression from their ships.” 

Finn nodded. “She’s still in a coma, and she had a lot of internal bleeding, but they think she’ll recover...eventually.” 

The two of them were quiet the rest of the way, until they made it back to the large, communal hut. Long tables had been laid out on the deck, overlooking the quickly setting sun, and lamps were being lit, some electric, some with flames. Most of the Resistance fighters were lounging, either leaning against the deck’s high railings or sitting at one of the tables. At the last table, off by itself on the edge of the deck, was Leia and Rey. The two of them sat next to each other, talking quietly over something sitting on the table. 

Once again, Finn stopped short, glancing over at the two women. 

“What is it?” Poe asked, coming up beside him and laying a hand on his shoulder. 

“Um, nothing. I think I’d like to go check on Rose before they bring out the food.” With that he turned and walked over to yet another path through the trees, leaving a confused Poe to watch him walk away. 

After a moment, Poe shrugged it off and stepped onto the observation deck. The food wafting in from the kitchen smelled so wonderful that his mouth started to water. He ignored his complaining stomach though and walked over to the table where Leia and Rey were sitting. Quietly spying over their shoulders, he caught a glimpse of something metallic and charred looking. 

Suddenly, Leia’s shoulders hunched a bit and she said, “You could just join us you know.” Then she turned and gave Poe a weary smile. 

“Oh, uh,” he stammered, and then moved around the table to sit across from them. “What is that?” he asked, as he did so. 

Rey picked up the burned shards of metal, carefully lifting them from the cloth they were resting on. “It was Luke’s lightsaber,” she said quietly. 

“And his father’s before him,” Leia added. 

“That’s Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber?” Poe asked in awe. “I thought it was lost.” 

“Everyone did.” 

“Where did you get it?” Poe asked, turning back to Rey. 

“Maz Kanata had it,” she answered. 

“On Takodana? What, all this time?” 

“It appears that way,” Leia answered, her lips pursed in slight annoyance. “It called to Rey, though. It’s hers now.” 

Rey shook her head. “I don’t think I’ve taken good enough care of it to call it mine.” 

“What happened to it?” Poe asked, tentatively reaching out to take a piece of the lightsaber from Rey. He waited until she nodded and relinquished it, and then carefully looked it over, turning it gently in his hand. 

“I’m not quite sure,” she admitted. “When I was on Snoke’s ship, Kylo Ren had the lightsaber. I used the Force to try and take it from him but he fought back. It was like some kind of Force tug of war and then...there was an explosion. That’s what it felt like, an explosion of Force. After that, the whole ship started to go up.” 

“That was Admiral Holdo. She destroyed it with our ship,” Leia informed her. 

Rey nodded. “Somewhere in there, the lightsaber was destroyed. I think it was from the Force, though.” 

“Yes,” Leia agreed. “You and...Kylo seem to have a strong connection.” She glanced away, both saddened and afraid by the realization. 

Before anyone could say anything else, though, they were suddenly joined by a small Wookiee, or at least small compared to the Wookiee they’d seen before. He was about Poe’s height, with Chewbacca’s hair color, and bright, intelligent eyes. Leia recognized him immediately. 

“Waroo!” she exclaimed warmly, and stood up to put an arm around the boy. After the customary Wookiee bear hug, she turned to the others and said, “This is Lumpawaroo, Chewbacca’s son. He’s still young, for a Wookiee, but he’s been through a lot. He’ll be a big help to us.” 

Off to the side of the tree city, away from the hustle and bustle of feasting and merriment, was the medical hut. There all was quiet, only the sounds of the night creatures in the forest, and beeping medical equipment could be heard. The large space was divided into cubicles, partitioned by sliding wood and leaf covered walls. It was mostly empty, aside from a couple of ill Wookiee children at the other end of the room from Rose Tico. No one’s partitions were closed, so it felt like a long, military medical ward. Other than that, it was completely different from the ones Finn had seen when he was a Storm Trooper. He’d spent much of his life cleaning up after his fellow soldiers, and that had meant plenty of time in medical wards. They were always white and plain, with strange smells and a scary atmosphere. The medical hut was just the opposite. It was warm, comforting even, making him feel like the patients were real people that were actually cared about. 

Other than the mother with her children, there was only one other Wookiee about the place. Finn assumed she had to be their version of a night nurse. At least, he thought she was a she. He hadn’t really talked to her yet, only stood beside Rose’s bed, gently holding her hand. He glanced over at the Wookiee, who was busy looking over something on a hand held device. The nurse was about six inches taller than him, with dark blond hair. As she turned, he realized he was staring and quickly glanced back at Rose. She looked the same as she had on the Millennium Falcon and he was beginning to worry that she’d never wake up again. 

“This is all my fault,” he mumbled to himself. 

The Wookiee nurse made a sympathetic sound, and even though he didn’t understand her, he knew she was trying to comfort him. 

“Will she be alright?” he demanded, though there wasn’t much strength to his voice. The Wookiee said something else, but he only shook his head in confusion. “Is she going to wake up?” he tried. As the Wookiee nodded toward Rose emphatically, Finn shook his head. “I don’t understand.” 

“I imagine so, silly,” he heard a voice croak from behind him and spun around to see Rose, smiling weakly at him.


	4. Chapter 4

Kylo Ren had been screaming for what felt like hours. When he realized his quarry had escaped, he called for Hux and a squadron of Storm Troopers to join him in the abandoned base. When they’d arrived, he’d been tossing the control room. He’d spun around and demanded that the squadron search every last nook and cranny of the cave bunker and bring him anything they found. They’d grunted their assent and quickly made their way further into the base, while Hux held his position in the control room. 

Hux watched, hands behind his back, and faint twitch of a smile on his face, as Ren proceeded to draw his lightsaber and start destroying everything in sight. Hux remained calm, feeling slightly satisfied at the knowledge that there might be something in the refuse that could lead them to the Resistance but that it was now melting in a pile of molten goo. As far as Hux was concerned, the First Order was finished. They had no real leader, only an expensive fleet of ships with no one to guide them. He gritted his teeth, knowing in his heart that that leader should have been him, and while he had no choice but to follow Ren now, that didn’t mean he was going to like it or make it easy for the spoiled brat. 

“Are you quite finished, Supreme Leader?” he asked a few minutes later. His voice was steady, but his heart pounded anxiously. 

Kylo stopped what he was doing. He was breathing hard, and sweat dripped down from his forehead. For a moment, he simply stood, his back to Hux, and he wondered if the man didn’t secretly like being punished. He knew Hux hated to be embarrassed in front of his men, but in private, he didn’t seem to mind being reprimanded. Either way, it was something Kylo didn’t have time for. He ignored the man’s remark, only turning to glare at him. 

“I don’t suppose you’ve figured out where they went?” he asked, his voice low and scathing. 

Hux shifted uncomfortably. “I believe our best bet is to flush out their supporters. There are only a handful of Rebels on that ship. They are going to have to have help.” 

Kylo stared at him for a moment, and then nodded slightly. “None of them have helped so far. They sent out messages but no one responded, no one came.” 

The statement brought a genuine smile to Hux’s face. “That’s because, while you tearing down the front door and battling with Skywalker, I had my communications men block their transmissions. No one knew they were here.” 

Kylo raised an eyebrow, momentarily impressed, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. “If no one heard their calls for help, then we have no idea how much support they might have.” 

“True,” Hux admitted, not sure where Ren’s volatile nature was going with this. 

Kylo simply nodded though. “You’re right. We need to track down everyone who’s ever helped the Resistance and destroy them. Hard to go to ground when there’s nowhere to go.” 

With that, he walked away, leaving a wide-eyed Hux to stutter after him. “Yes...yes, sir.” 

Over the next couple of weeks, the handful of remaining Rebels settled in to Kashyyyk. They decided, in order to keep their Wookiee hosts as safe as possible, that it was best to relocate to a new base on a different part of the planet. They found a mountainous region where the forests weren’t quite so thick, but they could hide what they needed to in underground bunkers. Apparently, it had been used during the many battles fought with the Galactic Empire to try and free the Wookiee people. As far as anyone knew, it had never been discovered and had been abandoned since the Empire’s destruction. 

Rose continued to get stronger, though she still wasn’t allowed out of the medical hut. Finn came to visit, usually multiple times a day, and it wasn’t long until he was bringing Poe and Rey too. He’d assured Rose that she’d like Rey, and the awe that her friend felt was contagious. Before long, she was just as big a fan of Rey as she had been of Finn when they first met. And though the two women seemed to get along just fine, oddly enough, it turned out that the strongest new friendship was quickly becoming between Rose and Poe. 

On the last day of moving, there was only the small group of friends and General Organa left to relocate to the new base. They’d moved slowly, the Wookiees helping them with supplies for huts, food, spare parts for the Falcon, and even an outrigger ship, so as to not draw attention from any prying eyes in space. 

Rose sat on her bed in the medical hut, swinging her short legs over the side of the tall bunk. She’d always wanted to go to Kashyyyk and was excited about actually getting to see it, and about just being allowed to get up and do things. She was still sore here and there, and acutely aware of having almost died, but she didn’t regret saving Finn’s life. She was just glad it had all worked out in the end. She heard footsteps walking her way and looked up with a soft smile. 

“Hi Poe,” she said cheerfully. 

“Hi Rose.” He sat down next to her, the tips of his toes barely reaching the floor, and clasped his hands in his lap. 

“Are you alright?” Rose asked. 

“What? Yeah, I’m good. Always.” 

She smiled and shook her head. “It’s Finn, isn’t it?” 

Poe’s head snapped her direction and then he shook it. “Finn? What about Finn?” 

“You don’t like sharing him,” she said, knowingly. 

Poe’s eyebrows crept up in surprise, but after a moment, he frowned, his jaws clenched tight. Then he stood up and shook his head. He took a few steps, and then turned back to Rose. 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t know anything about it!” With that, he stormed away, leaving a shocked and confused Rose to watch him leave. 

Once outside, he slowed at the sight of Finn walking up toward the medical hut. He rubbed his brow, his frown getting deeper. His instinct told him to go the other way before he was seen, but there was nowhere to go besides back down the walk to the medical hut. 

“Poe!” Finn called out, the same cheerfulness in his voice as had been in Rose’s. The man’s face faltered though, at his friend’s expression. “What is it?” 

Poe shook his head. Once again, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he glanced around at the massive trees. “There’s something strange about this place,” he said. “I can’t put my finger on it. It’s almost like someone’s watching us.” 

“I guess it’s a good thing we’re leaving then,” Finn pointed out. 

“I don’t know,” Poe answered slowly. “I think it might be something we brought with us.” With a sigh, he admitted to himself that this wasn’t really what had been bothering him. He looked back at Finn’s curious face and closed his eyes. Where did this all go wrong?, he thought to himself. “Look, I should really go back and apologize,” he mumbled, mostly to himself. 

“Apologize?” 

Poe waved it away. “Yeah, it’s a long story. I’ll get Rose and we’ll catch up, okay?” With that, he turned and made his way back down the path toward the medical hut. He only got a few yards, though, when he heard a loud cracking sound and looked up to see a large branch falling from one of the trees. He tried to move out of the way, but it felt like his feet were stuck in mud. He knew he wasn’t going to make it, so he lifted his arms to shield his head and ducked down. Nothing happened. He waited a few moments, and then slowly straightened up. As he did so, he lifted his arms and looked above him. What he saw made his heart skip a beat. The branch was still there, but it had been stopped midfall and now just hung in the air above him. 

Poe mouthed an exclamation of awe and relief and then whipped around, fully expecting to see Rey, having come to his rescue. His eyes widened in disbelief, though. He only saw Finn, standing there looking just as surprised as he was.


End file.
